# It's the Feds turn for a whack at Terri Schiavo **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 17, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015 "2005-03-17T18:01:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/101 "2005-03-18T18:29:42Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > I just watched Tom DeFuckingLay on CNN, and the congresscritter with him said “Terri is as alive, alert, and responsive as you or I”. To be fair, I suspect Terri in fact has every bit as much cognitive brain function as Tom DeLay apparently does. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/102 "2005-03-18T18:32:22Z")
> [@widdleytinks](#): > > …because the Schindlers are on record as saying they would spare no effort to keep Terri alive including amputating all of her limbs and placing her on a vent. I’ve heard this before. What the hell would sawing off her limbs and putting her on a vent accomplish? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/103 "2005-03-18T18:33:36Z")
[Link](http://abcnews.go.com/). It’s the BREAKING NEWS banner. ---
**Author:** ![Guy\_Incognito\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@Guy\_Incognito\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guy_Incognito_1)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/104 "2005-03-18T18:34:53Z")
[Associated Press](http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050318/D88TI5IG0.html) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/105 "2005-03-18T18:35:10Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > I’ve heard this before. What the hell would sawing off her limbs and putting her on a vent accomplish? If she develops diabetes, or something to that effect. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/106 "2005-03-18T19:07:20Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > If she develops diabetes, or something to that effect. Ah thanks. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/107 "2005-03-18T19:14:28Z")
I hope that those of you who feel that Congress should remove its nose from this business will do as I just did and write a quick email to your Congressman and Senator. It only takes a minute or two. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/108 "2005-03-18T19:22:41Z")
Unfortunately, my Senator is Rick Santorum and my rep is Melissa Hart. Dammit. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/109 "2005-03-18T19:32:34Z")
> [@plnnr](#): > > I hope that those of you who feel that Congress should remove its nose from this business will do as I just did and write a quick email to your Congressman and Senator. > > It only takes a minute or two. Thank you for the reminder. Done and done. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/110 "2005-03-18T19:37:53Z")
Likewise, done. Though, I suspect I’m preaching to the choir. I have my differences with my Senators and Representative - but they’re all strong and loyal Democrats. Still in this sort of situation, numbers count as much as simple opinions. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/111 "2005-03-18T19:44:16Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Unfortunately, my Senator is Rick Santorum and my rep is Melissa Hart. Dammit. My Congressman is Eric Cantor and my Senators are George Allen and John Warner - all conservative Republicans and all likely to be re-elected 'til the cows come home; however, I still think it worthwhile to express my comments to them and I urge everyone else who believes that this is no place for Congressional activity to do the same. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/112 "2005-03-18T20:26:26Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Unfortunately, my Senator is Rick Santorum and my rep is Melissa Hart. Dammit. I 'dwondered what she’d been doing since _Sabrina, the Teenage Wicth_ went off the air. Enough of a hijack, however. The truth is that there’s no easy answer to this situation. I support her husband, and his initiatives. I don’t confess to know everything about the case, nor his “motives.” But it should just be common sense in this case: The woman’s been dead for 15 frickin’ years. Just under 1/2 of my life (since my junior year in high school, BTW). She has no brain left. None of the most important aspects of it, anyway. She should be allowed to die, in my opinion. For the record, concerning the right-to-lifers: The right to life applies to a person’s right to exist until they biologically die; not the right to force someone to keep living against their wishes. I don’t have a living will. Yet. However, I have discussed this with my friends. And my mother, who’s a nurse. They know my wishes. It’s just a matter of finalizing it all. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/113 "2005-03-18T20:54:35Z")
> [@plnnr](#): > > My Congressman is Eric Cantor and my Senators are George Allen and John Warner - all conservative Republicans and all likely to be re-elected 'til the cows come home; however, I still think it worthwhile to express my comments to them and I urge everyone else who believes that this is no place for Congressional activity to do the same. I tried that, the last time when it was over the gay marriage amendments. I received in the mail a form letter thanking me for my support and how he needs my help to fight the evil gays or whatever. So his staff didn’t even bother to READ what I wrote, or get my opinion-they just counted me as supporting him. No thanks. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/114 "2005-03-18T21:06:21Z")
Feel your pain, **Guin** , as I live in PA too. It’s like the staff has a response-letter-writing-macro that picks up keywords only, and assumes that any contact is positive contact. What really makes me sick? Is that these people get PAID to ignore my opinions. Asshats. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/115 "2005-03-18T23:32:51Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I tried that, the last time when it was over the gay marriage amendments. I received in the mail a form letter thanking me for my support and how he needs my help to fight the evil gays or whatever. So his staff didn’t even bother to READ what I wrote, or get my opinion-they just counted me as supporting him. > > No thanks. If you really want to be a pain in the ass, you could call up Santorum’s office in Washington DC. At least there’d (maybe) be a real human you could bitch at. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/116 "2005-03-19T01:30:57Z")
> [@plnnr](#): > > There goes any shred of decency Congress had left, as well as any shred of dignity the poor soul had. Strap her into a chair, wheel her into a packed hearing room. I can see it now: **Tom DeLay** : Hi Terri. So… Lol your head and stare at things randomly if you want to live. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/117 "2005-03-19T01:41:04Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > If you really want to be a pain in the ass, you could call up Santorum’s office in Washington DC. At least there’d (maybe) be a real human you could bitch at. 😃 Not in Santorum’s office. I mean, there are living beings, but I’d be hard-pressed to call them “human”. And Specter’s office is apparently unstaffed, period. I’ve yet to get a response from his office on anything. Robin ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/118 "2005-03-19T02:18:06Z")
This is unfucking believable. That’s it for me–my last bit of tolerance for the GOP is gone. They spout state’s rights and individual responsibility and lookee what we have here…a complete 180 on both those platforms. I see this as proof that the Republicans will do anything and say anything to appear "moral"and “righteous”. Forget philosophical differences as to improving the nation and the economy etc–to me, they have shown themselves as morally bankrupt and not only un-intelligent with Terry’s plight, but also determinedly, wilfully, blindly, obstinately ignorant. DTWOI\*=stupid in my book. \*determinedly, willfully, blindly, obstinately ignorant. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/119 "2005-03-19T02:45:30Z")
Most of those politicians don’t give a shit about Teri-it’s all about pandering. THAT’S what’s really sick. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015/120 "2005-03-19T02:48:49Z")
My point exactly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-feds-turn-for-a-whack-at-terri-schiavo/295015.md?page=7)